WHITEWATER, Wis. — The Whitewater Police Department sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking the White House for help to address challenges connected to a "rapid increase" in immigrants.
The letter, signed by Police Chief Daniel Meyer and City Manager John Weidl on Dec. 28, 2023, says the City has seen a soaring number of immigrants arriving from Nicaragua and Venezuela since early 2022.
"We estimate that there are roughly 800-1,000 individuals who have arrived here in that short time," the letter states. "Regardless of the individual situations [for coming to Whitewater], these people need resources like anyone else, and their arrival has put great strain on our existing resources."
The City of Whitewater, located in Walworth County, has a population of roughly 15,000 people.
The police department, according to the letter, has identified "major challenges" associated with the demographic change, including communication with a Spanish-speaking population, transportation, housing, and documentation/identification concerns.
"We have found approximately three times the number of unlicensed drivers on our roadways compared to previous years," the letter states. "Our officers have also seen first-hand the terrible living conditions that many migrants are living in."
The letter details a family living in a 10'x10' shed in -10-degree temperatures, as well as over-occupied apartments. The police department links this to a "number of situations involving juvenile victims of sexual assault." According to the letter, immigrants have been connected to other serious crimes as well.
"None of this information is shared as a means of denigrating or vilifying this group of people," the letter says. "We know that challenges will come with the addition of any significant number of people to a City. In fact, we see great value in the increasing diversity that his group brings to our community. We simply need to ensure that we can continue to properly service this group, and the entirety of the City of Whitewater."
The letter concludes by calling for additional resources, including staffing the police department, specifically an immigrant liaison position, and programs for immigrants.
Read the full letter below:
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